THE second floor of the Kalimudan sa Ranao Foundation Inc. was filled with Marawi residents who have lost their homes due to the Marawi siege on May 23, 2017, for a human rights documentation writeshop.
Despite their dire living conditions, they decided to leave the temporary structures they are forced to call “homes” in transitory shelters to share their stories.
Apart from mothers who spoke softly of sleepless nights, fathers who are carrying the weight of lost livelihood, and children whose education was interrupted by war, something else filled the room on that day – a collective hope for a safe and dignified return.
What began as a weekly gathering where people come together to talk, share stories, and process their pains has grown into a community-driven people-led movement.
Bound by a common purpose, advocates, activists, youth leaders, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) continuously fight for truth, justice, and accountability through the Reclaiming Marawi Movement (RMM).
Since 2017, RMM has stood as a steady voice for the IDPs – a movement that has taken many forms – from the streets to classrooms and cultural spaces. It has organized rallies that call for government accountability and held cultural gatherings that honor memory and identity, ensuring that the stories of the displaced are not forgotten.
It has also facilitated educational forums, mobilized communities, and built partnerships with both academic institutions and grassroots organizations like Kalimudan sa Ranao Foundation Inc. and Justice for Marawi, Justice for All.
Leading the movement is Ramadan Muntor, coordinator of RMM. Known to many as “Adan”, he is among the 80,300 persons (16,070 families) who continuously face discrimination and stigmatization from host communities, experience fear and trauma, mourn their losses, hurdle the bureaucracy of the necessary requirements for the processing of compensation, and express strong desire to return home for eight years.
“Marawi crisis is far from over. The prolonged displacement is a manifestation of such crisis. Being ‘bakwits’ underscores our exposure to multiple vulnerabilities. With the economic difficulties the country is experiencing now, we are being subjected to most challenging situation. I challenge the authorities to visit us and talk to us, the ‘bakwits’ here in Marawi, in the shelter sites, and in the still empty and lifeless ground zero,” he said.
Currently, IDPs like Adan remain in government-designated relocation sites such as Boganga Lakeview Shelter in Barangay Boganga, Marawi City; Sagonsongan Area 6A in Sagonsongan, Marawi City; and Bakwit Village in Pindolonan, Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur.
Over the years, RMM has worked with international and local organizations such as Initiatives for International Dialogue, Commission on Human Rights, Balaod Mindanaw, In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement, Concern Inc., Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, and Development Society of the Ateneo, among others.
Adan shared that the continuous public actions, mobilizations, and campaigns contributed to the passage of the Republic Act No. 11696, also known as the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022, which provides “compensation for persons who died during the 2017 Marawi Siege and reparation to the IDPs whose damaged or demolished properties and possessions cannot be covered.”
The law also recognizes “the essence of providing reparation and compensation for persons and families whose rights were violated and whose economic, social and cultural rights were unfilled as a result of armed conflicts.”
For Adan and many other displaced residents, rebuilding their lives goes beyond building infrastructures. What they long for is a kind of rehabilitation rooted in dignity and humanity. Until now, they have been calling on concerned agencies and the government to provide reliable access to water, electricity, transportation, and sustainable livelihoods, extend temporary shelter residency, and accelerate just compensation processes.
On top of the IDPs’ shared call is the creation of a truth commission that will document what truly happened in Marawi, including the rehabilitation process from the perspective of the victims, which is fundamental to achieving transitional justice and addressing the historical injustice committed against the Moro people.
“Kambalingan, for me, is more than just a physical return to our homes. It’s about reclaiming who we are, our identity, and the land we were forced to leave behind. It must be rooted in truth-telling, in confronting our pain, and in demanding justice and accountability. The story of the Marawi siege should not only be told through the lens of government efforts. It should center the voices of those most affected – us, the internally displaced people of Marawi,” Adan said.
Eight years after the Marawi siege, RMM stands with all the IDPs whose voices continue to echo beyond the rubble. The quiet revolution of kambalingan showcases grassroots power through stories of resistance, healing, and home.
As the IDPs write their own return, people-led movements prove that genuine healing begins with the people. Contributed by Jupiter Cabig Jr.
Photos credited to Kalimudan, Reclaiming Marawi Movement, and Development Society of the Ateneo